It was one of those chaotic mornings every parent knows too well. My five-year-old, dressed in her mismatched superhero outfit, was attempting to use glitter glue to “fix”…
As a mother of two energetic girls, now aged 5 and 9, I vividly remember the day I decided it was time to introduce them to chores. Picture…
Let’s be honest: getting kids to help around the house can sometimes feel like trying to herd cats. You know they can do it; you’ve seen them organize…
When we talk about child behaviour, it’s easy to picture a toddler throwing spaghetti on the floor or a teenager rolling their eyes (again!). Just the other day,…
Homeschooling can feel like an uphill battle some days, especially when it comes to keeping your child motivated to complete schoolwork. Imagine the time your little one hid…
Let me paint a picture for you: It’s the school holidays. You’re feeling hopeful, thinking of all the creative activities you’re going to do with the kids—baking, crafts,…
When Reddit user u/RodneySquirrel said “I just saw the best handled temper tantrum in Wendy’s yesterday”, it sparked over 500 responses sharing their insights on handling tantrums. Here…
Just the other evening, I found myself in the middle of yet another classic showdown between my two teenage daughters, Lucy and Hannah. Lucy, who’s sixteen, had borrowed…
Understanding how to get a 5-year-old to listen can be a challenging but rewarding aspect of parenting. At this developmental stage, children are honing their skills in listening,…
Potty training a non-verbal toddler can be a unique challenge, but with the right strategies and understanding, it can also be a rewarding journey. Non-verbal communication doesn’t mean…
Transitioning your toddler to sleep in their own bed can be a challenging yet rewarding process. It’s a significant milestone that not only represents your child’s growing independence…
Easter is a time of vibrant colours, new beginnings, and of course, plenty of chocolate! It’s also a brilliant opportunity to get those creative juices flowing. Drawing is…
The au pair experience offers a fantastic opportunity for young adults to immerse themselves in a new culture while providing childcare support to a host family. In exchange,…
As parents we have dreams for our children. We hope they will live happy lives with a sense of purpose. But how do we make sure children learn…
We’ve pulled together our selection of the best free Maths Games online for kids, updated for 2025. These are educational websites full of games to keep your kids entertained while…
There’s nothing quite so cool as making your very own DIY toys and games at home, and then spending hours playing with them. There’s just something really satisfying…
Here at Kiwi Families, we love crafting ideas that are simple enough for little ones to have a go at, but difficult enough to keep older kids engaged.…
Family movies are a great way to spend time with your loved ones and enjoy a fun and uplifting story. But did you know that family movies can…
Every year we like to make some DIY or crafty decorations for Christmas. Whether it’s something new and quirky for our Christmas tree, or something to display on…
Because this goop recipe uses only natural ingredients, it is unlikely to cause any skin irritations, but it is likely to have your child thinking, ‘I wonder what…
If you’ve been following our crafts section this year you might have seen a few projects using iceblock sticks. I decided to do a Christmas themed craft this…
There are lots of different ways to potty train your child. Some parents are super-lucky and watch as their child virtually trains themselves, others find it takes much longer…
Calling all aspiring astronauts and space enthusiasts! Get ready to embark on an out-of-this-world adventure, I think you’re going to love this cool little space-inspired iceblock stick craft.
This is a super-fun and engaging activity to do with your kids as a weekend project. I think you’ll really like building this marble run from cardboard rolls!…
Your child’s 1st birthday party is not just a celebration of their first year, but one of yours as well. It’s a birthday party to recall milestones and…
We’ve been thinking a lot about DIY games that you can make together at home. This project is also a great way to reuse those cardboard rolls and…
Halloween is just around the corner, and what better way to get into the spooky spirit than by crafting your own creepy crawlies? Try out these spiders made…
We’ve made lots of cardboard roll crafts over the years. I love them because it reuses the rolls, they’re very easy for small hands to work with, and…
Looking for a fun and easy way to introduce your kids to the world of printmaking? Look no further than LEGO and Duplo!
As the weather gets colder outside, we’re constantly searching for fun and colourful activities to brighten up our days. That’s why we thought it would be the perfect…
I never maintain to have all the answers, in fact I spend a lot of my time helping parents realise they already have the answers, deep down inside…
Looking for a fun and creative way to celebrate the changing of the seasons with your kids? Autumn is a beautiful time of year, with its colourful leaves…
The first, and most important, learning in a child’s life happens within the family. Children learn from the way people treat them and from what they see, hear…
Here is a fun and incredibly simple craft you can do with your kids. And if you’re anything like us, and don’t mind a tree full of random…
This is a fun little activity that you can make with both young and older kids. We have made these ones as Christmas cards but you can really…
This is a fun little activity that kids of all ages can do. It’s an idea based on the really simple ‘squash and fold’ style of art I…
The evidence is in: children who have a close bond with their parents, or primary caregivers, are more likely to have improved brain development. Find out the importance…
The importance of talking to young children, sharing memories with real intent, has never been more important. Researchers have found that quality memory sharing in early childhood creates…
When it’s raining outside it’s time pull out the crafting materials for the kids to get creative with. Today I am going to show you a cute little…
With the school holidays upon us and the weather wet outside what better way to keep the kids engaged, than with some fun monster loose parts craft.
The other day we were at the beach and, as children do, they started collecting shells along the walk. This is a common occurrence for us. But often…
February, being the month in which love is celebrated on Valentine’s Day, it seemed only fitting to play around with heart art. Of course this craft idea is…
Cardboard tubes are so easy to come by and make a great material for kids to craft with. They can be used to make cars, butterflies, puppets any…
Spring is in the air and so are cute little spring chickens and lambs! My kids and I really love going for country walks this time of year,…
Some kids (especially mine) just love dinosaurs, so here is a fun little craft you can make with your kids using recycled cardboard, paint and bubble wrap.
My kids really enjoy printmaking so I wanted to share this super-simple activity using cardboard tubes found around the home. Paper towel rolls or toilet rolls work great…
Sometimes I am so surprised at how one little craft project can open up a world of play and revive olds toys that haven’t been touched for awhile.
I don’t know about you, but we always have cardboard tubes lying around the house. Be it toilet rolls or paper towel rolls. And often I find them…
The school holidays are fast approaching and the winter polar blast has started to take hold here. So I’m in need of some easy indoor craft activities to…
The school holidays are fast approaching and the winter polar blast has started to take hold here. So I’m in need of some easy indoor craft activities to…
Just click on the image below to download and print out the image. Select File > Print, or right-click (control-click on a Mac) > select print, or just…
It is pouring with rain today as I sit in my studio and ponder what arts and crafts I can make with the kids. I’m looking around at…
Easter is just around the corner so I’m making these cute little Easter bunny and Easter chick terracotta pots for our Easter Hunt this year.
Most parents are equipped to get through the inevitable tantrums and meltdowns of little kids. As children grow they gain patience, develop more skills, learn problem solving and…
Often parties and special occasions are a real challenge with a child who is a picky eater. It’s one of those times when a spotlight can be shined…
This is a super-simple craft that you can do for Halloween, or if your kids are studying spiders. The thing I liked best about making these paper plate…
It’s the school holidays, so what better way to entertain the children than by getting our craft on. My son is loving boats at them moment, and we…
In the new world of navigating COVID-19, we’ve seen a surge in online healthcare and it’s certainly been welcomed by many. Kiwis across the country can see the…
Can you spend just 15 minutes a day doing whatever your kids want? It’s a Magic Number that means the world to them, and is a great commitment…
Making a paper plate dinosaur with your little ones is a fun and easy rainy-day activity. Little ones love playing with paint and they love painting on anything…
Making sure your child eats the foods that give them energy to grow, flourish and concentrate is one of the core components of taking care of the family.…
Mother’s Day is right around the corner so here are two different ways to make a Mother’s Day card that your kids will love. These would also make…
Egg Cartons are great for crafting. Kids can make so many fun and simple crafts with them. I love the simplicity of this egg carton flower idea. And…
If you’ve ever tried painting with a 12 month old baby, or younger, you’ll know that rather than painting on the paper, most of the paint ends up…
Terracotta clay pots are my new favourite material to work with. There are soooo many craft ideas using clay pots. Here’s how to make terracotta clay pot Christmas…
Find out how to make your own masquerade mask from an egg carton. This egg carton craft is perfect for kids of all ages. And there’s no end…
A fairytale party! With a basket full of toadstool biscuits, ruby red apple cake pops, and some of her very best friends, Little Red Riding Hood…
How sweet it is… To be loved by you… Here’s something to add a little bit of sweetness to your day… a Ruffles and Confetti party.
A sweet 3rd third birthday. Mention milk and cookies for me and all I can think of is having a glass of milk and a chocolate chip cookie,…
The Preppy Turtle Party. This super sweet little party was thrown by Kori of Paper & Pigtails for her daughter Charlottes 3rd birthday. The attention to detail in…
A sweet little celebration. Soft pastel colours, a beautifully designed and put together buffet table, and the sweetest little elephant cake you have ever seen.
Celebrating 1 in style! Being a huge fan of red and pink for parties, the discovery of this little Lala Bird inspired number was the highlight of my…
How sweet it is… To be loved by you. Little girls… they love pink things, and hearts, and hugs and kisses, and creating…
If you go out in the woods today. How delightful would a stroll in the woods be if you came across this? Be surprised by little Annabell’s Enchanted…
There is no denying the level of emotions that accompany biting. Whether your child is biting or being bitten, the emotions can be intense. If you find yourself thinking how…
Paper Mãché Volcanoes are such a fun activity for children of all ages to make. But they’re especially fun for young kids, who’ll love playing with the goop…
One of the toughest parts of parenting young children is dealing with sickness and illness. From the age of around 6 months to 6 years children present with…
My daughter has been interested in mermaids lately, so for these school holidays we decided to make a mermaid peg doll. They are super-simple to make and kids…
Discover how to turn the $199 Kmart Cubby House into a playhouse palace fit for a princess (and prince). We inject a bit of Kiwi flavour into the Kmart Cubby House…
Today we spotted a fire engine parked up at the supermarket. The kids were so excited we headed over to get a closer look at it and take…
We’re all looking forward to the holidays, aren’t we? Or are we? Often holidays with a picky eater can be stressful. Especially if we’re celebrating with friends and relatives,…
Using air drying clay to make Christmas decorations is so easy, and so much fun! It really is an activity the whole family can join in on. Here’s…
This year I decided to starting decorating my home early with Christmas decorations. You see for the past 2 years we haven’t had the tree and decorations up…
With Halloween just around the corner my mind has been on creating fun and spooky crafts. You’ll love these upcycled Halloween craft ideas.
We have LOTS of miniature “ocean animals” toys in our house and I wanted to come up with a creative way for my daughter to play with them.…
I know I went a little against the grain with this one. In a time where very structured dessert buffets are at the height of fashion, I mixed…
Holy-quacamole Father’s Day has crept up on me fast this year! I truely feel like it was just yesterday that it was the 1st of August. Time just seems…
From toddlers to teenagers, every parent knows that not getting enough sleep can make our kids grumpy and prone to tantrums. But what’s less well known is that…
My 4 year old has just discovered the joys of puppetry. She’s really into it. So I thought what a great idea to create a shoe box theatre for…
Toilet Roll craft is so inexpensive and easy to create for all ages. The kids and I spent half a day building toilet roll rocket ships with all…
We want to make some cards to give to the Grandparents for Easter this year. We were thinking something Easter egg related, and we came up with this…
With Easter just around the corner, I thought it was time to focus my attention on some fun and cute Easter crafts. I couldn’t go past this idea…
This is a great little growing experiment that you can do with children of all ages. It’s lots of fun for a rainy day activity, there’s lots of tending…
The shaving cream rain cloud is a great little experiment, that takes no time at all to set up. It’s a simple way to teach kids about clouds…
I thought it was well overdue for my preschooler and I to get on the slime band wagon! I’ve been meaning to make slime for so long. I’ve…
I’ve always loved making robots with kids. As a school teacher I used to love letting my kids go crazy with a bunch of recycled items to create like…
Both my children love flowers! There isn’t a walk we can go on without them stopping to pick a flower. Anything with an interesting looking leaf, or simply…
This craft is a great one for all ages. All you really need to do is lay out a bunch of materials and let your child’s imagination run…
If your kids are into painted rocks, find out how to make a painted rock photo holder. The painted rocks craze has made painting on rocks pretty popular…
Howling cats and big black spider, Flying Bats, some doughnuts and cider, Smiling pumpkins can be seen; The time is here for Halloween. – Karen McGuigan Brothers